The present invention relates to the field of elevator control, and in particular to installation and network registration of elevator hallway fixtures in a destination entry group elevator system.
Conventional group elevator systems include hall call modules near the elevators on each floor. Typically, the hall call modules include up and down buttons that are pressed by passengers when elevator service is desired. Each hall call module is assigned a network address that an elevator controller uses to associate the hall call module with its floor location. When one of the buttons on the hall call module is pressed, the elevator controller assigns an elevator that will most efficiently deliver the passengers in the desired direction. The elevator controller determines which floor to send an elevator to based on the network address of the hall call module on which a button was pressed.
When a hall call module is delivered to a building for installation, it must be configured with the network address associated with the floor on which it is going to be installed. All hall call modules on a floor are configured with the same network address, since an elevator is dispatched to the floor after pressing a button on any of the hall call modules on the floor. The hall call modules can later be tested for proper function by simply pressing the buttons on each hall call module and assuring that an elevator is dispatched according to the button pressed.
Recently, elevator systems with destination entry have been introduced. In a destination entry system, passengers are required to register their destination floors before they are picked up. The group elevator system assigns each passenger to an elevator that most efficiently transports him or her to the desired destination floor. Passengers register their destination floors on destination entry devices, which are mounted near the elevators and can take the form of a numeric keypad or a touch screen display.
The destination entry devices often include audio and visual capabilities, for example to direct a passenger toward the elevator assigned based on input provided on the destination entry device. The directional output provided to the passenger depends on the location of the destination entry device relative to the assigned elevator. Consequently, each destination entry device in a building (including those on the same floor) is assigned a unique network address so that, based on the network address of the destination entry device used to register the destination, the elevator controller can determine the appropriate directional and distance output.
At present, each destination entry device is configured with its unique network address prior to installation. At a later time, each destination entry device must then be tested to assure proper function. In destination entry systems, each device must be tested to assure that the correct software is installed and that every key works properly. In addition, it must be verified that various destination entries on the device each result in an accurate directional and distance output on the display, and that each elevator is dispatched according to a destination registered on a destination entry device. This is an elaborate, time-intensive commissioning process, especially in larger buildings having a large number of destination entry devices.